According to the Randstad Engineering Employee Confidence Index, which calculates overall confidence among U.S. engineering workers, confidence is at 64.9 in the first quarter of 2012, marking the highest level of confidence recorded since the third quarter of 2007 at 66.2.

Specifically, respondents report high levels of optimism when it comes to feeling confident regarding their personal employment situations. In fact, respondents are optimistic in their abilities to find new jobs and their futures at their current employers.

"Given the strength of the engineering industry, it was not surprising that the Randstad Engineering Employee Confidence Index was the highest among all other professions tracked," says Richard Zambacca, president of Randstad Engineering. "According to the Department of Labor, there were more than 1.6 million jobs in engineering at the end of Q1 2012, and this is expected to grow at 11 percent over the next 10 years. Based on this projected growth, it is likely that our Index will continue to report high levels of confidence on both a macroeconomic and personal level.